Not So Secret Handshake in Salem: Volunteers and Arts Festival

 Business Spotlight, History, Resources, Salem Event, Salem Festivals, Salem Shopping, Volunteer Opportunities  No Responses »
May 102018
 

Volunteering is an art. It is a creative gift that you give to your community. And what better gift to give to the Salem community than to be a volunteer at the upcoming Salem Arts Festival,  June 1-3. It is a great combination!

This year is promising to be better than ever, with our TENTH ANNIVERSARY, record-breaking number of participants, all types/styles of art-making activities, a new collaboration with Creative Collective/Creative North Shore as co-organizers, and our fifth annual community art project, Bee to Brick. Come BEE a part of the best arts festival on the North Shore (possibly beyond? who’s to say.)!

With more activities than ever, we also need more volunteers than ever. We will probably be adding some additional shifts and needs as the festival gets closer, but for now, sign up early and often.

PLEASE SIGN UP HERE – http://signup.com/go/HpiioHC

Please note that we welcome and encourage volunteers of all ages for Salem Arts Festival. In fact… 10-year olds have been some of our best volunteers in the past! Never too early to instill in young people the value— their value— in community volunteering. This is also a great way for new residents to become part of our community, so spread the word to anyone you know who’s just moved to town.

Don’t forget to share the call for volunteers with your friends, family, neighbors, and that guy you sit next to on the train every day!

Save the Date – we will have an orientation for volunteers on Sunday, May 27 at 5 pm at Old Town Hall for any who can attend (yes, sorry, it’s Memorial Day weekend). We are also holding a benefit night for the Salem Arts Festival at Flatbread Pizza on Tuesday, May 29, so give your oven a rest that night and come grab a pie to support the festival!

Volunteerism improves health by strengthening the body, improving mood, and lessening stress in participants. And don’t forget, seeing art is also  a soothing experience.

Questions? Interested in additional ways to help? Let Kylie Sullivan, our overworked but ever-smiling leader know! Call 978-744-0004  x115.

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Use Your Feet To Get Around Salem Ma — But Not By Walking

 Business Spotlight, Resources, Salem Event, Salem Shopping  No Responses »
Apr 222018
 

Salem, already known as a very walkable city, is gaining prominence as a rideable community as well. For the 2nd year, the Salem Bike Share program is offering an on-demand ride sharing service, with 50 bicycles in 10 different locations to see the city.

Operated and managed by Zagster, Inc., it began this year on March 1st. With the weather beginning to get nicer, you can expect the bikes to begin renting out more quickly.

Mayor Kimberly Driscoll has praised the program: “Not only does it encourage residents, commuters and visitors to get out of their cars and onto bikes, but it is reflective of our nationally recognized complete streets policy.”

Reported figures from last season indicate that 1153 different riders made 2480 cumulative rides.

Salem Bike Share program features the Zagster 8, an award-winning bicycle known for its practical design, comfortable riding, and easy handling. The bike includes a spacious front basket that’s perfect for carrying shopping bags or personal belongings. As rider safety is a priority, every bike includes automatic lights, a bell, and full reflectors. Riders must be 18 years or older and are reminded to obey traffic laws, wear a helmet, and be a safe rider.

The way it works

Bikes are accessible at any station via the Zagster Mobile App that you must sign up for. It is available for iPhone and Android – or online at https://bike.zagster.com/salem/ where you can find information on membership options and fees.

Zagster bikes have a built-in lock which allows users to ride as long as they want and stop wherever they want along the way and lock the bike. Check out the video

Bikes need to return to any Zagster-Salem station at the end of a ride.

  • Appleton Street off North Street
  • Congress Street
  • Federal Street
  • Front Street
  • Hawthorne Boulevard
  • MBTA Commuter Rail Station
  • Salem Ferry Terminal
  • Salem Willows

The Salem Bike Share program is funded in partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and Salem State University.

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10 Years and Still Growing. Salem Arts Festival Returns in June

 Salem Event, Salem Festivals, Salem Shopping, SMS News, Volunteer Opportunities  No Responses »
Apr 102018
 

 “Creativity takes courage.” – Henri Matisse

“Creativity is contagious. Pass it on.” – Albert Einstein

Art has stood the test of time as an expression of the times within which it was born. As the World Art Day celebration approaches on April 15th, here in Salem we look ahead to our own celebration of expression with the Salem Arts Festival, scheduled June 1-3, 2018.

For World Art Day, galleries and museums throughout the world are encouraged to have extended hours, hold conferences and panel discussions during the day, and host celebratory events in the evening. April 15th is the birthday of Leonardo da Vinci, a renowned painter, sculptor, writer, innovator, philosopher, and thinker.

Salem Arts Festival

Over 5,000 people regularly attend and take part in our family-friendly festival, transforming downtown Salem, MA into an opportunity for the arts community to showcase a wide range of talents, not dissimilar to DaVinci. The Salem Arts Festival includes a gallery of juried artists’ work in Old Town Hall, outdoor stage venues for performance and dance, an artist and artisan street fair, a collaborative public arts project, and much more!

“Salem is busting at the seams with visual artists, musicians, poets, dancers, makers, and creative individuals of all types. It’s one of the many reasons people love living and visiting here,” said Kylie Sullivan, Executive Director of Salem Main Streets, co-organizer of the Salem Arts Festival.

“In celebration of our 10-year anniversary, we will focus the festival around the Salem Main Streets themes of ‘Live, Work, Play.’ I’m very excited to see the different ways we can use the arts to explore what it means to live, work, and play in Salem.”

For the 5th year, a community-built public art installation is being included as part of the festival. Bee to Brick, this year’s community art project, embraces the “Live, Work, Play” theme by celebrating some of the hardest “working” bugs out there – pollinators! Bee to Brick will install playful swarms of several hundred “bees” around the festival area, created entirely out of recycled plastic bottles and other reusable plastic pollution. After the project, the bees will be transformed into “bricks” by Phoenix School students for their “Bottle Brick Project.”

Community groups are being sought who want to participate in a workshop, and/or individuals who can come to one of our Monday night workshops. All ages and abilities are enthusiastically encouraged to contribute, no skill set required. More information at www.salemartsfestival.com/bee-to-brick

The Salem Arts Festival is especially pleased to announce that the festival, initially run as a project of Salem Main Streets, has expanded this year to be run in collaboration with the Creative Collective.

The Creative Collective is a group of invested creative professionals with the mission of connecting creativity, community and commerce. John Andrews, Creative Director, shared his thoughts about this partnership. “I am very excited to partner on another project with Salem Main Streets and expand the impact that the festival has on Salem and support the over 100 artists, performers, artisan vendors, and creatives that participate in this dynamic event.”

The Salem Arts Festival is organized by Salem Main Streets, the Creative Collective and a collaboration of Salem organizations which provide support for the festival, including the City of Salem, Salem State University, Salem Food Tours, the Phoenix School, Salem Public Space Project, the Salem YMCA, Peabody Essex Museum, and the Salem Arts Association.

This program is supported in part by a grant from the Salem Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. The festival also relies on the gracious support of its other creative partners, including Retonica Event Lighting, The Scarlet Letter Press, and Octocog Marketing and Design.

If you would like to support this dynamic annual cultural mainstay for its 10th anniversary celebration, please contact Robyn Gianoppolo at robyn@creativesalem.com or visit salemartsfestival.com/support

For more information about the Salem Arts Festival, please see www.salemartsfestival.com or contact Kylie Sullivan at kylie@salemmainstreets.org or (978)744-0004 (x115)

(All photos from 2017 Salem Arts Festival, Facebook page)

 

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This Is What It Takes to Get Into the 2018 Salem Farmers’ Market

 Business Spotlight, Salem Dining, Salem Event, Salem Farmers Market, Salem Festivals, Salem Shopping, SMS News  No Responses »
Mar 032018
 

What goes into a Farmers’ Market? Yes, yes, fruits, veggies, and whole lot more. But, what is the criteria to actually be a vendor? Interested in going behind the scenes? And if you’re a local or regional farmer, Salem Main Streets really wants you to read on, as we are always looking to add another vendor to our menu.

Salem Main Streets has just issued the invitation for local farmers and food vendors to participate in the 2018 Salem Farmers’ Market. It will be centrally located in downtown Salem in Derby Square on Thursdays, 3:00–7:00 p.m. from June 7 through October 11, 2018.

“We are so proud of our market vendors, and we hope to see many returning, but we’re also always on the look-out for the next up and coming business,” explains Salem Main Streets Executive Director Kylie Sullivan. “This is the perfect opportunity for a newer small businesses looking to get to the next level, as well as established businesses looking to reach a new audience.”

Rules and Regulations

All products must be grown or produced in New England. If a farmer is selling any items he/she did not grow, the farm of origin must be listed. Vendors may label items organic only if they are certified.

Sullivan notes that the Salem Farmers’ Market is especially looking for meat and cheese vendors.

Non-farm products must be high quality, locally made, take skill and creativity, and the vendor must add at least 75% of the total value to the product.  The product(s) should be complementary to a farmers’ market.

Anyone wishing to sell their products at the Salem Farmers’ Market must submit an application for consideration by March 17.  Applications can be downloaded from www.salemfarmersmarket.org.

Booth space is $30 a week for a 10’ x 10’ spot, $60 for a 10’ x 20’ spot, and $90 for a 10’ by 30’ spot.  There is a discount for prepayment of the entire season.

So, you see, not just anyone can roll their pick up over to Derby Square and dump a load of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, etc.

Celebrating 10 years this season, the Salem Farmers’ Market welcomes an average of 2,000+ customers weekly.  The market is made possible through the leadership of Salem Main Streets and the Farmers’ Market Committee, as well as the generous contributions of numerous volunteers.

For more information please contact Salem Main Streets Executive Director Kylie Sullivan via email at kylie@salemmainstreets.org or phone at 978-744-0004 x115. To get the latest updates about the market, visit our website at www.salemfarmersmarket.org, or follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/SalemMAFarmersMarket) or on Twitter (@salemfarmersmarket).

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24 Reasons Why Salem Ma Is a Cool Valentine’s Day Weekend Destination

 Salem Event, Salem Festivals, Salem Shopping, SMS News  No Responses »
Jan 312018
 

Ice Sculpture from 2017

Looking for something really cool to do as a Valentine’s Day gift for sweetie pie? How about spending a day — or an illuminated evening — exploring ice sculptures in Salem Ma during our 16th annual Salem’s So Sweet Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival, Feb. 9-11, 2018.

There are Ice Sculpture festivals throughout the world at different times of the year, but we uniquely tie ours to the Valentine’s celebration and make it easy for couples to stroll through our walkable streets, hand in hand, oohing and aahing the creativity and craftsmanship to turn what is essentially water into works of art.

This year, we have 24 beautiful ice sculptures that will grace downtown Salem starting February 10.  Some of the themes for this year’s ice sculptures will include “Love Potion #9,” a Dragon, the Salem State University Superfan, the Gloucester Fisherman, Princess and Frog, and more! A map can be found in the brochure (available in shops around town) during the festival and online at www.salemsosweet.com.

Be sure to make plans for a special evening stroll on Saturday, Feb. 10, from 5 pm to 9 pm, when the sculptures will be illuminated by Retonica! This is always a crowd-pleaser.

Weather permitting, The Salem Trolley offers trolley rides around the festival route on February 10 & 11 from 12 pm to 4 pm for only $2 an adult (free for children).

Ice Sculptures

#01 – Universe – Sponsored by The Journeymasters

#02 – Han Solo – Sponsored by Gulu-Gulu Café and Flying Saucer Pizza Company

#03 – Snowflake – Sponsored by Laura Lanes Skin Care

#04 – The Superfan – Sponsored by Salem State University

#05 – Tank – Sponsored by Army Barracks

#06 – Kissing Fish – Sponsored by Adriatic Restaurant & Bar

#07 – Piggy Bank – People’s United Bank

#08 – Princess & Frog – Sponsored by Maria’s Sweet Somethings

#09 – Dragon – Sponsored by Coon’s Card and Gift Shop

#10 – Page the Dog – Sponsored by Bella Research Group

#11 – Gloucester Fisherman – Sponsored by Turner’s Seafood

#12 – Love Potion #9 – Sponsored by The Coven’s Cottage, Emporium 32, Modern Millie, Pamplemousse, Salem Trolley, and Trolley Depot

#13 – Basset Hound – Sponsored by Witch City Mall: A Sacred Place Wellness Center, Badabing Barbershop and Shave Parlor, Bewitched in Salem, Escape Room Salem, Essex’s NY Deli & Pizza, Jodi Bee Bakes, Lotus Gifts, nAGLY, Omen, Polonus European Deli, Primary Residential Mortgage, Remix Church, Thai Place, Village Tavern, Witch Pix, Witch Tee’s

#14 – Cactus – Sponsored by Peabody Essex Museum

#15 – Super Mario Bros.  – Sponsored by Bit Bar Salem

#16 – Cauldron – Sponsored by Salem Witch Museum

#17 – Bakery – Sponsored by Coffee Time Bake Shop

#18 – Financial Wizard – Sponsored by St. Jean’s Credit Union

#19 – Lion – Sponsored by Jolie Tea Company

#20 – Mug – Sponsored by Notch Brewery & Taproom

#21 – Waterfront Hotel – Sponsored by Regatta Pub at Salem Waterfront Hotel & Suites

#22 – Rumson’s Rum – Sponsored by Pirate Dog Brand LLC / Rumson’s Rum

#23 – The Friendship – Sponsored by Waite & Peirce National Park Service Information Center and Park Store

#24 – 350th Anniversary – Sponsored by The House of Seven Gables and Ye Olde Pepper Companie

Ice Sculpture also from 2017

Many downtown businesses will offer chocolate samplings and sweet discounts around downtown Salem all weekend in celebration of Valentine’s Day.  Check to see who is participating in the “Golden Ticket Promotion” – make a full-price purchase at one participating downtown business and get 10% off your purchase at the next participating business!  Offer is good Feb. 10 and 11 only, some restrictions may apply. In addition, many of Salem’s finest restaurants and retailers will be offering their own luscious chocolate and love-inspired specials and events.

A full list of ice sculptures, participating businesses, and promotions are also listed online, and will be available in brochures around town during the festival. Salem’s So Sweet is organized by Salem Main Streets and the Salem Chamber of Commerce, and supported by Creative Salem, Destination Salem, Retonica, Scarlet Letter Press, and Rockafellas. Visit our website for more events and details as they become available – www.salemsosweet.com – or follow our Facebook page for all the latest updates – https://www.facebook.com/salemsosweet.

 

 

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